The counter point to this is Izzy leads the NL in saves. The catch is his pitching numbers look really bad for a closer with the 6+ ERA, 16 hits and 7 walks in 15 innings. It's almost a guarantee someone is getting on base when Izzy comes in a game, which makes it seem really dumb to bring him in to a game with RISP.

A real closer? We have one of the most historically successful closers out there. We've been real lucky. Some closers save 40 one year and are irrelevant three years later (Derek Turnbow, Chad Cordero, etc.).

How about 1-4 with 5 blown saves before mid-May. When did Izzy turn into Eric Gagne.

And no saying it wasn't Izzy this time. He started the 9th. Got the 1st two outs - then gives up 2 singles, a walk and a walk-off 2-run single in the next 4 at-bats. So much for the rest of the team doing their job.

Cards fans have always been way too hard in Izzy. Spoiled by the years when he was an absolute machine, now that he's had a bit of health trouble, they're ready to throw him under a bus. He's still a damn good closer. Who are you gonna get instead of Izzy?

drwoland wrote:Cards fans have always been way too hard in Izzy. Spoiled by the years when he was an absolute machine, now that he's had a bit of health trouble, they're ready to throw him under a bus. He's still a damn good closer. Who are you gonna get instead of Izzy?

Bingo.

Look at other teams' and their closer situations. In the 8 years Izzy has been our closers, some teams have gone through as many as 8, 9 closers in that time. Many (save for the Padres, Yankees) have had multiple closers.

I refuse to say I hate Izzy and I get pissed at the hate and boo's for Izzy. I'm frustrated too, but the guy has almost 300 saves, has been our closer for 8 years and would do anything for this team (never forget that he put aside his ego, went on the DL, and subsequently watched Adam Wainwright close out the World Series, among other things). He's struggling yes, but without him, we wouldn't have 6 trips to the playoffs and 5 division titles this decade.

dmiles you're so quickly overlooking the fact that.. He loses us baseball games.. That's the bottomline.. You can talk about "quality closer for 8 years" all you want, but that doesn't mean he isn't playing like effin crap right now.

"Hey MEG, I'm a Playoff Challenge Champion and you aren't. If you're so GD smart, why the hell haven't you won one?" -WestCoastSpedFan

I never said he's not pitching like crap. He is, everyone watching can see that.

But there's people out there talking like he's the absolute worst closer around, saying that they hate Izzy. I'm just saying, how can you hate a guy who has done so much for this franchise?

I don't want him pitching in the 9th and he may be done as an effective 9th inning closer, but what I get from the Cardinals fan base is that a lot of people despise the guy, and I've got a problem with that.

drwoland wrote:Cards fans have always been way too hard in Izzy. Spoiled by the years when he was an absolute machine, now that he's had a bit of health trouble, they're ready to throw him under a bus. He's still a damn good closer. Who are you gonna get instead of Izzy?

Anyone! Call up Chris Perez or insert McClellan into the closers role.